Underwriting Agreement, dated August 21, 2023, between Super League Gaming, Inc. and Aegis Capital Corp
Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
between
SUPER LEAGUE GAMING, INC.
and
AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
August 21, 2023
Aegis Capital Corp.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, Super League Gaming, Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) as being subsidiaries or affiliates of Super League Gaming, Inc., the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Aegis Capital Corp. (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Underwriter,” and, together with the Company, the “Parties” or “us”), as follows:
| 1. | Purchase and Sale of Firm Securities. |
| 1.1 | Firm Securities. |
| 1.1.1 | Nature and Purchase of Firm Securities. |
(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriter, an aggregate of: (A) 15,573,077 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (B) 1,350,000 pre-funded warrants to purchase 1,350,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.001 per share (the “Pre-Funded Warrants,” and, collectively with the Firm Shares, the “Firm Securities”). The Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants are hereinafter referred to as the “Pre-Funded Shares.” The terms of the Pre- Funded Warrants are set forth in the form of Pre-Funded Warrant attached hereto as Exhibit A.
(ii) The Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite its name on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price of $0.13 per Firm Share (92% of the per Firm Share offering price), a purchase price of $0.13 per Pre-Funded Warrant (92% of the per Pre-Funded Warrant offering price), and with such pricing information set forth in Schedule 2-A hereof. The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
(iii) The Company agrees to engage the Underwriter for the period beginning on July 28, 2023 and ending three (3) months thereafter or upon the completion of the Offering (as defined below), whichever is sooner (the “Engagement Period”), to act as the Company’s exclusive underwriter and investment banker in connection with the Offering. During the Engagement Period or until the consummation of the Offering, and as long as the Underwriter is proceeding in good faith with preparations for the Offering, the Company agrees not to solicit, negotiate with or enter into any agreement with any other source of financing (whether equity, debt or otherwise), any underwriter, potential underwriter, placement agent, financial advisor, investment banking firm or any other person or entity in connection with an offering of the Company’s debt or equity securities or any other financing by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection (iii), the Underwriter agrees and acknowledges that the Company may enter into a certain accounts receivable lending facility, the principal amount of which will not exceed $3,000,000 (the “AR Facility”), during the Engagement Period, provided that such AR Facility shall include in its terms that any of the Company’s capital stock or securities convertible into capital stock issued under the AR Facility are subject to the provisions of Sections 2.27 and 3.18 of this Agreement. The provisions of this subsection (iii) shall not apply to affiliates of, or parties related to, the Underwriter.
| 1.1.2 | Firm Securities Payment and Delivery. |
(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the date of the Prospectus Supplement (the “Effective Date”) or the third (3rd) Business Day following the date of the Prospectus Supplement if the pricing for the Offering (as defined in Section 1.2.1 below) occurs after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time on the Effective Date), or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company, at the offices of Carmel, Milazzo & Feil LLP, 55 West 39th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018 (“Underwriter’s Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Securities is called the “Closing Date.”
(ii) Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in federal (same day) funds (“Federal Funds”), payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter) representing the Firm Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriter. The Firm Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Underwriter may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Securities except upon tender of payment by the Underwriter for all of the Firm Securities. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.
| 1.2 | Over-allotment Option. |
1.2.1 Option Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Securities, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriter an option to purchase from the Company up to 2,538,461 additional shares of Common Stock and/or additional Pre-Funded Warrants, representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants, as applicable) sold in the offering (the “Over-allotment Option”). Such 2,538,461 additional shares of Common Stock and/or additional Pre-Funded Warrants, the net proceeds of which will be deposited with the Company’s account, are hereinafter referred to as the “Option Shares.” The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the price per Firm Share or the price per Pre-Funded Warrant (as applicable)set forth in Section 1.1.1(ii) hereof. The Firm Securities, Pre-Funded Shares and the Option Shares are hereinafter referred to together as the “Public Securities.” The offering and sale of the Public Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering.”
1.2.2 Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Underwriter as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares within 45 days after the date of the Prospectus (as defined below). The Underwriter shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Underwriter, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than two (2) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriter, at the offices of Underwriter’s Counsel or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriter. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriter the number of Option Shares specified in such notice and (ii) the Underwriter shall purchase that portion of the total number of Option Shares then being purchased as set forth in Schedule 1 opposite the name of the Underwriter.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal Funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Underwriter of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter) representing the Option Shares (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriter. The Option Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Underwriter may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Shares except upon tender of payment by the Underwriter for applicable Option Shares. The Option Closing Date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the Closing Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous with the Closing Date, the term “Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Firm Securities and Option Shares.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:
| 2.1 | Filing of Registration Statement. |
2.1.1 Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333- 259347), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement was prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and contains and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement on file with the Commission at any given time, including any amendments thereto to such time, exhibits and schedules thereto at such time, documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act at such time and the documents and information otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430B Information”) or otherwise pursuant to the Securities Act Regulations at such time, is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is referred to herein as the “Initial Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b).
The prospectus in the form in which it was filed with the Commission in connection with the Initial Registration Statement is herein called the “Base Prospectus.” Each preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) that described the Public Securities and the Offering and omitted the Rule 430B Information and that was used prior to the filing of the final prospectus supplement referred to in the following paragraph is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.”
Promptly after the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus relating to the Public Securities and the Offering in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B and Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations. Such final prospectus supplement (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented), in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date of such prospectus.
“Applicable Time” means 7:15 a.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement. “Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Preliminary Prospectus dated August 21, 2023, and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Public Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the shares of Common Stock. The registration of the shares of Common Stock and related Form 8-A have become effective under the Exchange Act on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2 Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of Common Stock have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the shares of Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has submitted the Listing of Additional Shares Notification Form with the Exchange with respect to the Offering of the Public Securities.
2.3 No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
| 2.4 | Disclosures in Registration Statement. |
| 2.4.1 | Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation. |
(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective (including each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriter pursuant to Rule 430B or otherwise under the Securities Act) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. The conditions for use of Form S-3, set forth in the General Instructions thereto, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.6 and other conditions related to the offer and sale of the Public Securities, have been satisfied. Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time each was or will be filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representations or warranties as to compliance with the Securities Act, Securities Act Regulations, or the comments, disclosures and interpretations of the Commission regarding the same, of any prior offerings by the Company through the Underwriter’s affiliates or related parties in the event that the investors in such prior offerings also invest in this offering.
(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(iii) The Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriter by the Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The Parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists solely of the statements concerning the Underwriter contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus (the “Underwriter Information”).
(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriter Information.
(v) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
2.4.2 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained or incorporated by reference therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement or to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, that have not been so described or filed or incorporated by reference. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and
(z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder. To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
2.4.3 Prior Securities Transactions. For the last three years, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus.
2.4.4 Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
2.4.5 No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below.
| 2.5 | Changes After Dates in Registration Statement. |
2.5.1 No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, nor any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change or a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement or as otherwise disclosed to the Underwriter; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.5.2 Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein, as already disclosed to the Underwriter, or disclosed in the Registration Statement or any other filings with the Commission, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 2.5.2 shall not apply to any security issuances made under the Super League Gaming, Inc. 2014 Stock Option and Incentive Plan. The Underwriter acknowledges and agrees that the Company will be obligated to pay dividends in the form of Common Stock to certain holders of its Series A Preferred Stock beginning on November 22, 2023 and its Series AA Preferred Stock beginning on April 19, 2024.
2.6 Disclosures in Commission Filings. Since January 1, 2022, (i) none of the Company’s filings with the Commission contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and (ii) the Company has made all filings with the Commission required under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”).
2.7 Independent Accountant. To the knowledge of the Company, Baker Tilly US, LLP (the “Auditor”), whose respective reports are filed with the Commission and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.8 Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year- end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. No other historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations and present fairly the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, other than in the course of business or any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.
2.9 Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
| 2.10 | Valid Issuance of Securities, etc. |
2.10.1 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission or similar rights with respect thereto or put rights, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or rights of participation of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such Shares, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.10.2 Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Public Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non- assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Public Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Public Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.11 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.12 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.13 No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest, claim, equity, trust or other encumbrance, preferential arrangement, defect or restriction of any kind whatsoever or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, lease, loan agreement or any other agreement or instrument, franchise, license or permit to which the Company is a party or as to which any property of the Company is a subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, “Bylaws”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof.
2.14 No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or by-laws, or in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity.
| 2.15 | Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents. |
2.15.1 Conduct of Business. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.15.2 Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Exchange and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
2.16 Insider Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors, officers, and shareholders holding 10% or more of the voting equity of the Company immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”), as supplemented by all information concerning the Insiders as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.27 below) provided to the Underwriter, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.
2.17 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Common Stock on the Exchange, and which is required to be disclosed.
2.18 Good Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.19 Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to $5,000,000 and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
| 2.20 | Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA. |
2.20.1 Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriter’s compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.20.2 Payments Within Twelve Months. Except as described in the, Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve months prior to the date of this Agreement, other than the payment to the Underwriter as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
2.20.3 Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.20.4 FINRA Affiliation. There is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 10% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Public Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriter.
2.20.5 Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to Underwriter’s Counsel specifically for use by Underwriter’s Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
2.21 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change; (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”); (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA or any applicable non-U.S. anti-bribery statute or regulation; (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; or (vi) received notice of any investigation, proceeding or inquiry by any Governmental Entity regarding any of the matters in clauses (i)-(v) above; and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
2.22 Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2.23 Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in either the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package or Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.24 Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.25 Regulatory Filings and Permits. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has failed to file with the applicable and appropriate domestic or foreign regional, federal, state, or local regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business of the Company (collectively, the “Regulatory Authorities”), any filing, declaration, listing, registration, report or submission that is required to be so filed. All such filings were in material compliance with applicable laws when filed and no deficiencies have been asserted by any Regulatory Authority with respect to any such filings, declarations, listings, registrations, reports or submissions. The Company and its Subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, clearances, registrations, exemptions, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals, consents and other authorizations (“Permits”) issued by the Regulatory Authorities needed to operate its Business, except for Permits which, if not obtained, would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the Permits, and all of such Permits are valid and in full force and effect. The Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation, termination, modification or impairment of rights of any of the Permits that, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.26 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Underwriter’s Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
2.27 Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors, and employees and shareholders owning 10% or more of the Common Stock (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Underwriter an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.
2.28 Subsidiaries. All direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the place of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s ownership and control of each Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
| 2.29 | Related Party Transactions. |
2.29.1 Business Relationships. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
2.29.2 No Relationships with Customers and Suppliers. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company on the one hand, and the directors, officers, 5% or greater stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of the Company’s affiliates on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or a document incorporated by reference therein and which is not so described.
2.29.3 No Unconsolidated Entities. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structure finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources required to be described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or a document incorporated by reference therein which have not been described as required.
2.29.4 No Loans or Advances to Affiliates. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, any other affiliates of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.30 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.
| 2.31 | Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. |
2.31.1 Disclosure Controls. The Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.
2.31.2 Compliance. The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
2.32 Accounting Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls. The Company’s auditor and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Disclosure Package, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
2.33 No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.34 No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent.
2.35 Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees (other than license or similar fees described or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement of, license or similar fees for, or conflict with, any asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change, (i) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (ii) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.35, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (iii) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.35, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (iv) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.35, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (v) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been disclosed in a filed patent application has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.
All licenses for the use of the Intellectual Property described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are in full force and effect in all material respects and are enforceable by the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with their terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and
(z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and the Company has not, and to the Company’s knowledge, no other party is in default thereunder and no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder.
2.36 Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriter, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
2.37 ERISA Compliance. The Company and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
2.38 Compliance with Laws. The Company: (i) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to its business (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (ii) has not received any notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (iii) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (iv) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (v) has not received written notice that any governmental authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority is considering such action; (vi) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (vii) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, “dear doctor” letter, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.
2.39 Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge. In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on their business and assets, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such reviews, the Company and its Subsidiaries have reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.
2.40 Real Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
2.41 Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.
2.42 Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Public Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
2.43 Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.
2.44 Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as such term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.45 Exchange Act Reports. The Company has filed in a timely manner all reports required to be filed pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(e), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (except to the extent that Section 15(d) requires reports to be filed pursuant to Sections 13(d) and 13(g) of the Exchange Act, which shall be governed by the next clause of this sentence); and the Company has filed in a timely manner all reports required to be filed pursuant to Sections 13(d) and 13(g) of the Exchange Act since February 21, 2019, except where the failure to timely file could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change.
2.46 Minute Books. The minute books of the Company have been made available to the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel, and such books (i) contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions of the board of directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable), and each of its Subsidiaries since the time of its respective incorporation or organization through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii) accurately in all material respects reflect all transactions referred to in such minutes. There are no material transactions, agreements, dispositions or other actions of the Company that are not properly approved and/or accurately and fairly recorded in the minute books of the Company, as applicable.
2.47 Integration. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act; provided, however, the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the potential integration of any prior offerings by the Company through the Underwriter’s affiliates or related parties due to identical (or substantially similar) investors in this Offering and such prior offerings.
2.48 No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of the Underwriter) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.
2.49 Employer Agreements. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer that could reasonably be expected to materially affect such individual’s ability to be and act in his or her respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.50 Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the written consent of the Underwriter and with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Underwriter to engage in Testing- the-Waters Communications. The Company confirms that the Underwriter has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule 2-C hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
2.51 Data Security Obligations. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole: (i) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have complied and are presently in compliance with all internal and external privacy policies, their privacy- and data protection-related contractual obligations, and applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority, in each case, relating to the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of personal information, personally identifiable information, or personal data, as defined under applicable data privacy laws including, without limitation, the rules and regulations imposed by the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“Data Security Obligations”); (ii) the Company has not received any written notification or complaint that indicates the Company’s non- compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or threatened in writing alleging non- compliance by the Company with any Data Security Obligation.
| 3. | Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows: |
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Underwriter, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus, Disclosure Package or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter shall reasonably object in writing.
| 3.2 | Federal Securities Laws. |
3.2.1 Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Underwriter promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been filed and when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission regarding the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for additional information regarding the same; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement; and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
3.2.2 Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter or counsel for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Underwriter notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided, however, that the Company will not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter or Underwriter’s Counsel reasonably objects. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Company has given the Underwriter notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Underwriter notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Underwriter or Underwriter’s Counsel reasonably object.
3.2.3 Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act. The Company will not deregister the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Underwriter (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or denied).
3.2.4 Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided, however, that the Underwriter shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Underwriter. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriter as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
3.2.5 Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Underwriter and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
3.3 Delivery to the Underwriter of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.4 Delivery to the Underwriter of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to the Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as the Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.5 Events Requiring Notice to the Underwriter. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and will notify the Underwriter, within the same calendar day, and confirm the notice in writing, of which notice by facsimile or electronic mail transmission shall satisfy the notice obligations of this Section 3.5, the following: (i) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (ii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (iv) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (v) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6 Review of Financial Statements. For a period of five (5) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information.
3.7 Listing. The Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the shares of Common Stock (including the Firm Shares, Pre-funded Shares and, to the extent the Option is exercised, the shares of common stock underlying the Option Shares) on the Exchange for at least three years from the date of this Agreement.
3.8 Financial Public Relations Firm. The Company has retained a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter and the Company, which shall initially be MZ North America, which firm shall be experienced in assisting issuers in public offerings of securities and in their relations with their security holders, and shall retain such firm or another firm of similar quality and reputation for a period of not less than two (2) years after the Effective Date.
| 3.9 | Reports to the Underwriter. |
3.9.1 Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish or make available to the Underwriter copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also promptly furnish to the Underwriter: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; (v) a copy of each report or other communication furnished to stockholders and (vi) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request to the extent such documents and information have already been prepared by the Company; provided, however, the Underwriter shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Company, the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel in connection with the Underwriter’s receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Underwriter pursuant to this Section 3.9.1.
3.9.2 Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a nationally recognized and reputable transfer agent and registrar (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall furnish to the Underwriter at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Underwriter may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. Issuer Direct is acceptable to the Underwriter to act as Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock.
3.9.3 Trading Reports. During such time as the Public Securities are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Underwriter, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by Exchange relating to price trading of the Public Securities, as the Underwriter shall reasonably request.
3.10 Payment of Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (i) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of Public Securities to be issued and sold in the Offering with the Commission; (ii) all filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (iii) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the Common Stock on the Exchange, including any fees charged by the Depository Trust Company (DTC) for new securities; (iv) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Underwriter may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees as determined by the Company’s “blue sky” counsel, which will be Underwriter’s counsel); (v) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, this Agreement and any blue sky surveys), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Underwriter may reasonably deem necessary; (vi) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities; (vii) fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent for the Public Securities; (viii) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of the Public Securities from the Company to the Underwriter (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountant(s); (x) the fees and expenses of Company’s Counsel and other agents and representatives; and
(xi) $100,000 for reasonable legal fees and disbursements for Underwriter’s Counsel. The Company shall also pay a non-accountable expense allowance to the Underwriter equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of the Offering upon completion of the Offering. The Underwriter may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth in clauses (i) to (xi) above to be paid by the Company to the Underwriter, provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriter pursuant to Section 9.3 hereof.
3.11 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3.12 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.
3.13 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Underwriter) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.
3.14 Internal Controls. The Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.15 Accountant. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement.
3.16 FINRA. The Company shall advise the Underwriter (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 10% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
3.17 No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriter’s responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that neither the Underwriter nor its affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
3.18 Company Standstill. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not for a period of sixty (60) days after the closing date of the Offering (the “Standstill Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; or (iii) enter into any agreement or announce the intention to effect any of the actions described in clauses (i) or (ii) of the first paragraph of this Section 3.18.
The restrictions contained in this Section 3.18 shall not apply to (i) the Company’s adoption or modification of an equity incentive plan and the grant of awards or equity pursuant to any equity incentive plan, and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8; (ii) the issuance of equity securities in connection with an acquisition or a strategic relationship, which may include the sale of equity securities; (iii) the conversion of the Company’s preferred stock to Common Stock; and (iv) the AR Facility, to the extent the AR Facility is not entered into prior to the earlier of: (A) the closing of this Offering or (B) the exercise of the Option and the Company provides the Underwriter with written notice of the AR Facility entered into during the time period set forth in subclauses (A) and (B) of the second paragraph of this Section 3.18, within the same calendar day of the Company’s entry into such AR Facility, provided that in each of clauses (i), (ii) (iii), and (iv) in the second paragraph of this Section 3.18, the underlying shares shall be restricted from sale during the entire Standstill Period. In no event shall any equity transaction during the Standstill Period result in the sale of equity at an offering price to the public less than the offering price of the Common Stock sold in the Offering.
3.19 Release from Lock-Up Agreements. If the Underwriter, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.27 hereof and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
3.20 Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its best efforts, and be entitled to rely on Underwriter’s counsel in performing its obligations in this Section 3.20, in cooperation with the Underwriter, if necessary, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
3.21 Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations.
3.22 Press Releases. Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall not issue any press release, another communication directly or indirectly, hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Underwriter is notified), or any other type of publicity without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or denied, unless in the judgment of the Company and Company’s Counsel, and after notification to the Underwriter, such press release or communication is required by law.
3.23 Sarbanes-Oxley. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company shall at all times comply with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act in effect from time to time.
4. Conditions to Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Public Securities as provided herein shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:
| 4.1 | Regulatory Matters. |
4.1.1 Commission Actions; Required Filings. At each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post- effective amendment thereto shall have been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes shall have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B under the Securities Act Regulations.
4.1.2 No Objection. FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Public Securities.
4.1.3 Exchange Stock Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Company’s Shares of Common Stock, including the Firm Shares, Pre-Funded Shares and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Option Shares (collectively, the “Shares”)) shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. On the first Option Closing Date (if any), the Company’s shares of Common Stock (including the Shares) shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
| 4.2 | Company Counsel Matters. |
4.2.1 Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion of Disclosure Law Group, a Professional Corporation, counsel to the Company (“Company’s Counsel”), and a written statement providing certain “10b-5” negative assurances, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter, substantially in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.
4.2.2 Opinion of Company’s Counsel on Option Closing Date. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion of Company’s Counsel, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriter and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by Company’s Counsel in its opinion delivered on the Closing Date.
4.2.3 Reliance. In rendering the legal opinions specified in Sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2, such Company’s Counsel may rely: (i) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent Company’s Counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinions, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter, familiar with the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company; provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to Underwriter’s Counsel if requested. The opinions of Company’s Counsel, and any opinion relied upon by Company’s Counsel, shall include a statement to the effect that it may be relied upon by Underwriter’s Counsel in its opinion delivered to the Underwriter.
| 4.3 | Comfort Letters. |
4.3.1 Cold Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received a cold comfort letter from the Auditor containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Underwriter and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to you and to the Auditor, dated as of the Closing Date.
4.3.2 Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Option Closing Date, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in its letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Option Closing Date.
| 4.4 | Officers’ Certificates. |
4.4.1 Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. On the date of pricing for the Offering (the “Pricing Date”), the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a certificate, dated the Pricing Date of its Chief Financial Officer stating that: (i) he is responsible for the financial and accounting matters of the Company and its Subsidiaries, including oversight of their financial and accounting functions and staff; (ii) he is knowledgeable about the internal accounting records and accounting practices, systems, policies, and procedures of the Company and its subsidiaries; (iii) he is knowledgeable about and responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a- 15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a- 15(f) and 15d-15(f)); that (iv) he has (A) read the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, and the Preliminary Prospectus, and (B) supervised the compilation of and reviewed the financial information set forth in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and all periodic reports (“Periodic Reports”) of the Company filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, and the Preliminary Prospectus (the financial information contained in all of the aforesaid filings in this Section 4.4.1(a), collectively, the “Financial Information”), such Financial Information having been derived from the applicable accounting or financial records of the Company, which he believes, to the best of his knowledge, are accurate, complete, and reliable in all material respects; and that (v) he has prepared or reviewed: (A) all of the descriptions of the Company’s agreements contained in the Company’s annual report of the Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2022 and subsequent Periodic Reports; (B) the number of the Company’s issued and outstanding capital stock as of August 7, 2023, which number is the number included in the Preliminary Prospectus, and such information specified in clauses (A) and (B) of this sentence, as of the dates thereof, is accurate in all material respects.
4.4.2 Officer’s Certificates. The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package, any Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Prospectus.
4.4.3 Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondences between the Company or Company’s Counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5 No Material Adverse Changes. To the knowledge of the Company, prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change or development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement and no change in the capital stock or debt of the Company, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may result in a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; (iv) no action shall have been taken and no law, statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any Governmental Entity which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Public Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; (v) no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Public Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company and (vi) the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Public Securities, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to Underwriter’s Counsel, and the Company shall have furnished to Underwriter’s Counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
| 4.7 | Delivery of Agreements. |
4.7.1 Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriter executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of Lock-Up Parties.
4.8 Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) Underwriter’s Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Underwriter’s Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriter, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel.
| 5. | Indemnification. |
| 5.1 | Indemnification of the Underwriter. |
5.1.1 General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries (a “Claim”), arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriter Information, or (iv) otherwise arising in connection with or allegedly in connection with the Offering. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse the Underwriter Indemnified Party for all fees and expenses (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any Claim, subject to the provisions of Section 5.1.2) (collectively, the “Expenses”), and further agrees wherever and whenever possible to advance payment of Expenses as they are incurred by the Underwriter Indemnified Party in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any Claim.
5.1.2 Procedure. Upon receipt by an Underwriter Indemnified Party of actual notice of a Claim with respect to which indemnity may reasonably be expected to be sought under this Section 5.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, provided that failure by any Underwriter Indemnified Party to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation or liability which the Company may have on account of this Section 5.1 or otherwise to such Underwriter Indemnified Party. The Company shall, if requested by the Underwriter, assume the defense of any such Claim (including the employment of counsel designated by the Underwriter and reasonably satisfactory to the Company). Any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense of the Claim, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless: (i) the Company has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ separate counsel reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter for the benefit of the Underwriter and the other Underwriter Indemnified Parties or (ii) such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have been advised that in the opinion of counsel that there is an actual or potential conflict of interest that prevents (or makes it imprudent for) the counsel designated by and engaged by the Company for the purpose of representing the Underwriter Indemnified Party, to represent both such Underwriter Indemnified Party and any other person represented or proposed to be represented by such counsel, in which event the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel, plus local counsel, for all Underwriter Indemnified Parties, which counsel shall, if the Underwriter is a defendant, be designated by the Underwriter. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any Claim effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Underwriter Indemnified Party, acceptable to such Underwriter Indemnified Party, from all Claims and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Underwriter Indemnified Party. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnification and contribution obligations of the Company required hereby shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as every Claim and Expense is incurred and is due and payable, and in such amounts as fully satisfy each and every Claim and Expense as it is incurred (and in no event later than 30 days following the date of any invoice therefore).
5.2 Indemnification of the Company. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Underwriter, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriter Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Underwriter, the Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the Underwriter Indemnified Party by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.
5.3 5.3 Contribution. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction makes a finding, final beyond right of review, that indemnity is unavailable to an Underwriter Indemnified Party, the Company shall contribute to the Claims and Expenses paid or payable by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to the Underwriter and any other Underwriter Indemnified Party, on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by Section 5.1 or (ii) if the allocation provided by the immediately preceding clause is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter and any other Underwriter Indemnified Party, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such Claims or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations, provided that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to ensure that all Underwriter Indemnified Parties, in the aggregate, are not liable for any Claims and Expenses in excess of the amount of commissions and non-accountable expense allowance actually received by the Underwriter in the Offering. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriter on the other hand and such parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 5.3. For purposes of this Section 5.3, the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to the Underwriter on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by Section 5.1 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as: (a) the total value received by the Company in the Offering, whether or not the Offering is consummated, bears to (b) the commissions paid to the Underwriter under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a Party who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.
| 6. | Default by the Underwriter. |
6.1 Default in Purchasing Firm Securities or Option Shares. If the Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Firm Securities or the Option Shares, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, the Underwriter may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Securities or Option Shares to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to the purchase of Firm Securities or Option Shares, the Underwriter does not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Securities or Option Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to the Underwriter to purchase said Firm Securities or Option Shares on such terms. In the event that neither of the Parties arranges for the purchase of the Firm Securities or Option Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by either Party without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 9.4 and 9.5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Shares, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve the Underwriter of its liability, to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.2 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Securities or Option Shares to which the default relates are to be purchased by another party or parties as specified in Section 6.1, either of the Parties shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of Underwriter’s Counsel may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to the Firm Securities or Option Shares which are purchased by such party or parties.
| 7. | Additional Covenants. |
7.1 Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have any of its securities listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.
7.2 Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements. The Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Underwriter’s prior written consent, for a period ending at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the forty-fifth (45th) day after the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
7.3 Information. During the Engagement Period, the Company agrees to cooperate with the Underwriter and to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Underwriter, any and all information and data concerning the Company, and the Offering that the Underwriter deems appropriate (the “Information”). The Company will provide the Underwriter with reasonable access during normal business hours during the Engagement Period to all of the Company’s assets, properties, books, contracts, commitments and records and to the Company’s officers, directors, employees, appraisers, independent accountants, legal counsel and other consultants and advisors. Except as contemplated by the terms of this Agreement or as required by applicable law, the Underwriter will keep strictly confidential all non-public Information concerning the Company provided to the Underwriter. No obligation of confidentiality will apply to Information which is excluded from the definition of “Confidential Information” as provided for under Section 8.
7.4 Right of First Refusal. Except for Company’s potentially entering into the AR Facility after the closing date of the Offering, if, for the period beginning on the closing date of the Offering and ending six (6) months after the closing date of the Offering, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (a) decides to finance or refinance any indebtedness, the Underwriter or any affiliate designated by the Underwriter shall have the right to act as sole book-runner, sole manager, sole placement agent or sole agent with respect to such financing or refinancing, or (b) decides to raise funds by means of a public offering (including an at- the-market facility) or a private placement or any other capital raising financing of equity, equity-linked or debt securities, the Underwriter or any affiliate designated by the Underwriter shall have the right to act as sole book-running manager, sole underwriter or sole placement agent for such financing. If the Underwriter or one of its affiliates decides to accept any such engagement, the agreement governing such engagement will contain, among other things, provisions for customary fees for transactions of similar size and nature, but in no event will the fees be less than the fees paid to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement, and the provisions of this Agreement, including indemnification, which are appropriate to such a transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the decision to accept the Company’s engagement under this Section 7.4 shall be made by the Underwriter or one of its affiliates, by written notice to the Company, within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notification of its financing needs as described in this Section 7.4.
8. Confidentiality. From and after the date of this Agreement, each Party agrees to: (i) maintain the other Party’s Confidential Information (as defined below) in strict confidence; (ii) direct such Party’s respective agents, representatives, or advisors, not to disclose or use any Confidential Information to the detriment of the disclosing Party; (iii) not disclose Confidential Information to any third parties; and (iv) not use any Confidential Information for any purpose except to consummate the Offering and perform such Party’s obligations under this Agreement. Each Party may disclose the Confidential Information of the other Party to the other Party’s agents, representatives, or advisors who have a bona fide need to know such Confidential Information for the purpose of consummating the Offering and performing such other Party’s obligations under this Agreement, but solely to such necessary extent and for no other purpose. The provisions of this Section 8 do not restrict a Party from disclosing to the other Party’s Confidential Information to the extent required by any applicable law; provided that the Party required to make such disclosure uses reasonable efforts to give the other Party reasonable advance notice of such required disclosure in order to enable the other Party to prevent or limit such disclosure.
For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means: (i) all trade secrets or confidential or proprietary information designated as such in writing by the disclosing Party, whether by letter or by the use of an appropriate proprietary stamp or legend, prior to or at the time any such trade secret or confidential or proprietary information is disclosed by the disclosing Party to the recipient Party or the recipient Party’s representatives; or (ii) information disclosed orally, visually, or in writing to the recipient by the disclosing Party and is received under circumstances, or is of such nature, that the recipient Party or the recipient Party’s representative knows or should reasonably be expected to understand the confidential and proprietary nature of such information. In addition, the term “Confidential Information” includes (x) any notes, analyses, compilations, studies, interpretations, memoranda, or other documents prepared by the recipient Party or the recipient Party’s representatives which contain, reflect, or are based upon, in whole or in part, any Confidential Information furnished to the recipient Party or the recipient Party’s representatives pursuant to this Agreement; and (y) the existence or status of, and any information concerning, the discussions between the Parties concerning Purchaser’s the Offering and this Agreement or the possible establishment of a business relationship. Confidential Information does not include information which: (1) is in the public domain as of the date hereof or hereafter enters the public domain without a breach by the recipient Party, (2) was known or became known by the recipient Party prior to the other Party’s disclosure thereof to the recipient Party as demonstrated by the existence of the recipient Party’s written records, (3) becomes known to the Underwriter from a source other than the Company, which information is not provided by the breach of an obligation of confidentiality owed to the Company, (4) is disclosed by the disclosing Party to a third party without restrictions on its disclosure or (5) is independently developed by the recipient Party as demonstrated by its written records. For the avoidance of doubt, except as otherwise provided herein, all information which is not publicly available relating to the Company’s proprietary technology is proprietary and confidential.
| 9. | Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof. |
9.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when each Party has executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other Party.
9.2 Termination. The Underwriter shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the Underwriter’s opinion will, in the immediate future, materially disrupt general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Securities or Option Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Underwriter shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Change, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Underwriter’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the Offering and/or delivery of the Public Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriter for the Offering.
9.3 Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriter pursuant to Section 6.1, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriter its actual and accountable out-of- pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements of Underwriter’s Counsel equal to $100,000, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Underwriter on behalf of the Underwriter; provided, however, that such expense in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Underwriter will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
9.4 Survival of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way be affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
9.5 Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or its affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling the Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Securities.
| 10. | Miscellaneous. |
10.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by electronic mail transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Underwriter:
Aegis Capital Corp.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Attention: Head of Investment Banking
Email: ***@***
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Carmel, Milazzo & Feil LLP
55 West 39th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10018
Attention: Ross Carmel
Email: ***@***
If to the Company:
Super League Gaming, Inc.
2912 Colorado Avenue, Suite # 203
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Attention: Ann Hand, Chief Executive Officer
Email: ***@***
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Disclosure Law Group, a Professional Corporation
655 West Broadway, Suite 870
San Diego, CA 80203
Attention: Daniel Rumsey
Email: ***@***
10.2 Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from its investment banking division and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that the Underwriter’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the Offering that differ from the views of the Underwriter’s investment banking division. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, rules and regulations, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 10.2 shall relieve the Underwriter of any responsibility or liability it may otherwise bear in connection with activities in violation of applicable securities laws, rules or regulations.
10.3 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
10.4 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the Parties.
10.5 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by the Parties that all other terms and conditions of that certain engagement letter between the Parties dated July 28, 2023, shall remain in full force and effect.
10.6 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Parties and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from the Underwriter.
10.7 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the street address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing Party in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other Party all of such prevailing Party’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
10.8 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different Parties in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to each of the other Parties. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
10.9 Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the Parties to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the Parties to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non- fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the Party or Parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Parties, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
| Very truly yours, | |||
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| SUPER LEAGUE GAMING, INC. |
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| By: | /s/ Ann Hand |
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| Name: Ann Hand |
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| Title: Chief Executive Officer |
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| AEGIS CAPITAL CORP. |
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| By: | /s/ Robert Eide |
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| Name: Robert Eide |
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| Title: Chief Executive Officer |
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SCHEDULE 1
| Underwriter | Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased | Total Number of Pre-Funded Warrants to be Purchased | Number of Option Shares to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised by the Underwriter |
| Aegis Capital Corp. | 15,573,077 | 1,350,000 | 2,538,461 |
| TOTAL | 15,573,077 | 1,350,000 | 2,538,461 |
Sch. 1-1
SCHEDULE 2-A
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: 15,573,077
Number of Pre-Funded Warrants: 1,350,000
Number of Option Shares: 2,538,461
Public Offering Price per Share: $0.13
Underwriting Discount per Share: 8.0%
Underwriting non-accountable expense allowance per Share: 1.0% of gross proceeds of the Offering
Proceeds to Company per Share (before expenses): $0.13
SCHEDULE 2-B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
SCHEDULE 2-C
Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
None.
[REMAINING EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]
Ex. D-1
